New Year’s Day in a Japanese family is the most special day of the year, at least in my opinion.  I miss these celebrations more than any other holiday. The three-day New Year holiday is a very special time in Japan, a time of solemn prayers and joyous greetings. While New Year’s Day is a holiday in many parts of the world, the occasion has a unique significance to the Japanese, who take the opportunity to begin anew many aspects of their lives.   New Years is regarded in Japan as an auspicious occasion. As such, it is filled with traditional activities which, it is hoped, will result in a more successful year. The people particularly observe the age-old Japanese custom of not carrying-over any debts or tasks from the old year to the new. As the end of the year approaches, therefore, businessmen busily wind up their affairs of the old year. They try to pay all their obligations by New Year’s Eve. Even non-businessmen try to clear the slate by the end of the year.  I wish I could do the same.

Homemakers all over the nation work extra hard preparing for the holiday. They must prepare many special foods, clean the house even more rigorously than usual, and make decorations for the holiday season. The cleaning is called Susuharai, or soot-sweeping. Both inside and outside the house, the stains, physical and spiritual, of the past year are rubbed out in order to purify the home and make it fresh for the New Year.  

Then, on New Year’s Eve, a pine decoration known as Kadomatsu is set up on both sides of the front entrance. Some homes have elaborate Kadomatsu with bamboo added to the pine, as well as plum branches. The Kadomatsu is thought to welcome good luck into the house.  Another, equally-important decoration is the Shimenawa, a sacred rope made of straw on which zig-zag strips of paper have been hung. This is placed above the front entrance in order to prevent “evil spirits” from entering the house.

My favorite part is the food.  My Aunt in Fresno has graciously invited us to attend Shogatsu at her home.  Many special dishes are prepared for the New Year celebration. An important food at New Year is Omochi, steamed rice that has been pounded and formed into cakes. There is actually a machine that has replaced making this by hand and wooden hammer. This is eaten either grilled on a frying pan or in a soup, known as Ozoni. Vegetable dishes are also popular during the New Year holiday, partly because they are easy to prepare and easy to store. Food shops generally remain closed throughout the holiday period, so it is necessary to stock up on all items.

Offerings are made to the household gods on a small table. The offerings usually consist of Omochi, dried persimmons, dried chestnuts, pine seeds, black peas, sardines, herring roe, a cray fish, a sea-bream, some dried cuttlefish, Mochibana, or flowers made of rice and straw, mandarin oranges, and many other items varying from district to district.

Preparations for the holiday are all completed by New Year’s Eve. By then, all businesses and nearly all stores are closed, and a calm settles over both city and countryside. During the three-day holiday period in Japan, known as Shogatsu Sanganichi , everyone except those who run amusement enterprises or are responsible for essential services, such as transportation, have a period of vacation. For many people in Japan, the year-end holiday actually begins around December 29, when all public offices begin their vacations. Others end their work either on the 30th or early on the 31 st. In recent years, therefore, more people have been taking advantage of the long holiday to travel to the countryside for skiing and skating, or for relaxing at hot spring resorts. We generally are not able to do this here in the United Sates.

On New Year’s Eve, most people spend their time with their families. Sons and daughters who have moved to the city return to their parents’ homes in the country if this is at all possible. That way the entire family greets the New Year together. Many families pass the evening watching special television programs. Others visit shrines and temples where they pray by the light of bonfires.
 

Customary Shogatsu foods include toshikoshi soba, a long buckwheat noodle eaten on New Years Eve that symbolizes long life. It is also customary to eat Osechi-ryori, a collection of traditional foods served together in the small sections of jubako box.
Jubako box
 
Each food served in the jubako box carries its own symbolic meaning. For example, black soybeans symbolize health, while herring roe symbolizes the prospect of many children. Mochi, or sticky rice cakes, are made in the last days of the closing year, and eaten during Shogatsu. Mochi may be topped with persimmon or orange, and are used as a decoration as well as a food.
 
Osechi DishesKobumaki – Kelp RollsKuromame – Simmered Black BeansDatemaki – Rolled Sweet OmeletKurikinton – Mashed Sweet Potato with Sweet Chestnuts)Kinpira Gobo – Braised BurdockTazukuri – Candied Dried SardinesNamasu – Pickled Daikon Radish and CarrotNimono – Simmered Dish
Nimono includes gobo (burdock root), satoimo (taro), renkon, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and more.Kazunoko (herring roe)Ebi-no-saka-mushi – Sake Steamed ShrimpPink and White Kamaboko (fish cakes)Tai-no-shio-yaki (grilled sea bream)

Added to this are many typical American foods, and foods that children are more likely to enjoy.  These would include:  shrimp and vegetable tempura, sushi, sashimi, teriyaki chicken, sato imo (a cousin of the taro), barbecued pork (char-siu), rice, renkon (lotus root), and edamame (soy beans).  Many special desserts are also made for the holidays, including:  chi chi dango, manju, yokan, and various traditional pastries.

Singapore is famous for its street food and Unesco has decreed that its hawkers centers have special cultural significance and are now on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.   According to Unesco, community dining and culinary practices in a multicultural urban context is present throughout Singapore. Hawkers prepare a variety of food for people who dine and mingle at the centers, which serve as ‘community dining rooms’ where people from diverse backgrounds gather and share the experience of dining over breakfast, lunch and dinner. Activities such as chess-playing, busking and art-jamming also take place.

While Singapore is not one of my favorite places in SE Asia, the hawker stalls are a great experience.  It can be a little overwhelming on the first visit.  Too many choices, too many people, and too many good smells.  We ate way too much, our eyes were bigger than our tummies.  And notably, the locals linger, while the tourists eat too fast!

Moving on the KL and Malaysia:  If Vienna has its coffee houses and Paris its chic cafes, then Kuala Lumpur has its kopitiams. From kopi, “coffee” in the Malay language, and tiam for “shop” in Hokkien Chinese, kopitiams are local coffee shops found all over Malaysia and in neighboring Singapore. But they are more than just coffee shops—they are social hangouts and an integral part of the local food culture.

Though I was staying in a fairly modern hotel, I ventured out to a kopitiam.  Zero atmosphere, but setting up for a busy day.  I was one of the first customers, and had some coffee and a small pastry.  Slowly, ever so slowly, this place, and the surrounding neighborhood came alive.  Though it was still dark, people were heading to work.  I guess it was Starbucks in the style of Malaysia.  The photo on the right is similar to the place I visited, perhaps a bit nicer.

Kopitiams are where busy executives go for a quick fix of their morning Kopi O, old men gather over games of chess, and groups of teenagers meet up to chat over a cup of thick and sweet kopi. Ariffin points out that Kuala Lumpur’s kopitiams are a symbol of the Muhibbah culture of this country – a word that refers to the spirit of camaraderie, tolerance, and friendship that embraces multiple communities within its fold. Indeed, Muhibbah is at the very core of this ethnically diverse country.

So, when you visit SE Asia, make sure you experience both of these, “only in SE Asia” events.  The hawker stalls and the kopitiams.  Then, you can tell me your story!

Finally, the safaris are over, and we have a long layover in Nairobi, Kenya.  After stumbling around the airport, and the surrounding area, we decided to return to the friendly confines of the airport.  Let me tell you, the Nairobi Airport is a cesspool, in every sense of the word.  But we found a small respite in a little cafe, just off the main gates.

All of a sudden, a vision of high fashion Paris appears before our eyes.  She must have been 6 feet tall in heels, and designer clothes.  And close behind was her 4 year old son.  To tell you that this scene did not compute, would be an understatement.  After an hour or so of staring at this young woman, she asked us to watch her son while she went to the “powder” room.  You would think that Mr. Mike and I were two pimply teenagers, unable to muster the words that normally come so easily!

And yes, she was on her way to Paris, to shop, see her friends.  Her Kenyan husband was a high government official, quite obviously.  But she was quite friendly, also played golf, and wanted to hear more about the U.S.  I think we were the envy of every male walking down that corridor.

Anyway, I digress.  We were finally on our way back to Johannesburg, then to visit our old buddy, Barry the V in Cape Town the next day.  We were tired of safaris, safari food, dust, bumpy roads, and tourists.
On the other hand, we had no idea what to expect in Cape Town.  After all, we spent a long six hour dinner with Barry, over three years ago in Santiago, Chile.  We decided to drop by, say hello, meet his wife, and maybe spend a night or two, at most.

Well, a two day stay ended up as a two WEEK stay.  How could we turn down the hospitality of Barry and Mrs. V?  First, they lived a half block from the beach in Camps Bay, one of the nicest areas of Cape Town.  Second, they gave me the downstairs suite, while Mike had a huge bedroom with nearby bathroom.  Third, their domestic was doing our laundry every day, even ironing my underwear!!  But mostly, we just had a great time.

Let me just fast forward, and tell you that we saw the best of Cape Town and the greater Cape area, nearby wine country, and surrounding countryside.  We had memorable meals, ridiculous shopping excursions, and some fabulous wines.  But the highlight was each evening.  We gathered in the upstairs living room to watch the London Olympics on TV.  Barry and Mrs. V on one sofa, Mike and I on recliners, each of us with a nice comforter, and a glass of our favorite beverage.

Days were filled with sightseeing, train rides, wine tasting, climbing Table Mountain, and exploring the greater Cape.  Nights were home cooked meals or well known area restaurants, followed by four hours of the Olympics on TV.

We did all the bosches, Stellenbosch, Kirstenbosch, and most importantly, Varkelbosch.

We did observe some “strange” behavior at the Varkel palace.   Mrs. V, aka Chrissie, was drinking her Pinotage with a straw!  Upon inquiry, she said her dentist told her to use a straw to avoid staining her veneers.  Interesting!

One more event would stand above all others.  After a few drinks one evening, Barry said he was taking us to meet his parents, at their condo on the beach.  So, Barry drives our rental over to a small parking lot a few miles away.  We pull up to a big metal double door.  It slowly opens, and we pull into the space while sitting in the car.  The door closes behind us, and I realize we were in a car elevator!  It moved us down about three or four floors.  The door opened in front of us, into a four car parking space.  Holy, Batman!  I have never been in a car elevator before or since.

This might have been the best two weeks of my life on the road, EVER!!!  Words cannot describe our two week stay.

Sadly, as our stay came to an end, Mike left a day earlier, then me.  It was sad to leave our wonderful and generous hosts.  But we were tired, and happy to start heading home.

PS:  I hope you enjoyed the annotated versions of my trips through South America and Africa.  Maybe I will continue after we do the Twelve Days of Christmas!!